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Men attacked with rubber mallet in Darwen

TWO men were injured after being hit with a rubber mallet as they walked home from a night out in ‘unprovoked’ and ‘disturbing’ attacks.

The men were both hit once with the weapon in separate attacks in Darwen town centre in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The attacks happened just before 4am in Market Street and School Street. The two male victims, aged 20 and 24, suffered cuts to the head as a result of the assaults and were treated at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Detective Sergeant Adie McHugh, of Blackburn CID, said: “These are two random and unprovoked attacks with no obvious motive. It is a bit disturbing. Neither of the victims have been robbed during the attacks.

“These men have suffered nasty injuries as a result of being hit with the weapon. Both were hit once on the head, it wasn’t a sustained attack.

“They had both been out for the night when the incidents happened.”

Police have already spoken to some witnesses but are keen to hear from anybody else who may have seen anything.

DS McHugh said: “We have studied CCTV footage and there are people in the area at the time, so we are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen the attacks or the events leading up to them.

“Both incidents happened within a short space of time of each other just before 4am.”

The two men are described as being aged between 18 and 22, both around 5ft 10ins tall, one with short dark hair and one with short light coloured hair.

Anybody with information can call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.